JOHANNESBURG: South African Football Association (SAFA) president Danny Jordaan was arrested and charged Wednesday with using the group’s resources for his own purposes in a fraud and theft case amounting to 1.3 million rand ($72,000), police said.
Jordaan, who led South Africa’s successful bid to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup, denied the charges in a Johannesburg court.
“The allegations are that between 2014 and 2018, the president of SAFA used the organization’s resources for his personal gain,” a police statement said.
He was accused of hiring a private security company for his own protection and a public relations company without authorization from the SAFA board, the statement added.
Jordaan, 73, is reported to have hired the public relations firm after his reputation took a knock when a South African singer and former lawmaker alleged in 2017 that he had sexually assaulted her 25 years previously. He denied the allegations.
He was arrested “following an intensive investigation by the Serious Commercial Crime Investigation based in Johannesburg into allegations of R1.3 million fraud and theft,” police said.
Jordaan has been SAFA president since 2013 and was elected for a third time in 2022.
He was arrested with SAFA chief financial officer Gronie Hluyo and businessman Trevor Neethling, head of the communications company cited in the charges, who also denied the accusations.
The court released the three on bail.
South Africa football chief arrested on fraud, theft charges
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South Africa football chief arrested on fraud, theft charges
- Jordaan, who led South Africa’s successful bid to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup, denied the charges in a Johannesburg court
- He was accused of hiring a private security company for his own protection and a public relations company without authorization from the SAFA board
Biker Edgar Canet enjoys dream Dakar start
- ‘I was super fast and super happy with this feeling. It’s the best way to start the rally’
YANBU: Spaniard Edgar Canet made a dream Dakar Rally debut on Saturday when the 20-year-old rookie topped the times in the prologue of motorsport’s most grueling event in Saudi Arabia.
The KTM factory rider ended the 22 km ride around Yanbu three seconds clear of teammate and defending champion Daniel Sanders with Honda’s American rider Ricky Brabec, the 2024 winner, five seconds adrift.
“I was super fast and super happy with this feeling. It’s the best way to start the rally,” said Canet.
Sanders was relieved to get his title defense up and running.
“Happy to be here at the start line and get the prologue done. It was a lot faster than expected, but not so technical, so it was hard to make up time,” the Australian said.
“It was full gas the whole time, so I’m sure there were really close times. It’s good to get that out of the way and get into a stage tomorrow.”
In the car category, Nasser Al-Attiyah of Qatar did the best of the big names, crossing eight seconds adrift in fourth. Defending champion Yazeed Al-Rajhi of Saudi Arabia was 14sec off the pace.
